A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for initiating and conducting communications between users via a network or the Internet. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a technique for initiating and conducting communications between users geographically located apart from one another such that the users may acquire and utilize each other""s profiles.
B. Description of Related Art
There are services available whereby a xe2x80x9cmailing listxe2x80x9d may be used to provide information to a plurality of users where the users are part of a group. Using such a service, communications with the plural users in the group can be readily established. In this xe2x80x9cmailing listxe2x80x9d service, electronic mail addresses of the plurality of users are registered on a server computer. One electronic mail address may be configured to designate mail for each respective user in the group, and when an electronic mail is sent to the designated address, the electronic mail is transmitted to all of the registered users.
There are also local businesses whereby a snapshot may be taken of a person with backgrounds where the backgrounds have something related to the local environment. Such snapshot businesses operate without a network or use of the internet. For instance, there are photo shops and photo-machines that provide what is referred to as a xe2x80x9cPrint Clubxe2x80x9d service. Such xe2x80x9cPrint Clubxe2x80x9d services are typically installed in a shopping center or shopping mall. Such a xe2x80x9cPrint Clubxe2x80x9d service may include a machine that photographs a person to make a commemorative picture whereby the background may indicate the location of the individual at the time the snapshot was taken. The machine immediately prints out a sheet of small stick-on photographs so that people, especially teenagers, can exchange the photographs with others or attach it to a page in a notebook. There are also application software programs that are available for use on a personal computer, and are capable of manipulating a photograph to add a background thereto. Moreover, recent developments have been made in digital camera technology where by background may be inserted into a digitized photograph.
As another apparatus capable of providing a similar service via a network is, for example, a xe2x80x9cHoukago Clubxe2x80x9d (after-school club) service. Similar to the above-described xe2x80x9cPrint Clubxe2x80x9d service providing apparatus, the xe2x80x9cHoukago Clubxe2x80x9d service includes an apparatus that is installed in a central part of town or in a shopping center. The service photographs a person and a commemorative picture is made. Thereafter the commemorative picture is printed as a seal. In addition, the xe2x80x9cHoukago Clubxe2x80x9d service provides an apparatus that may transfer digitized data based upon the commemorative picture to a server connected to the Internet so that the picture can be opened on a WWW (World Wide Web) page.
As mentioned above, the following services are available, for example, the service capable of handling a plurality of users as one group, and also the service capable of effectively establishing the communications with the plural users who are grouped together. However, in the above-explained conventional services, it is difficult for the users to freely select another party or user to join the group or make up a new group easily. In certain known services, since the email addresses are manually grouped, the names are given to the user groups and all users belonging to the groups may contact one another. However, in this known service, the electronic mail addresses of the grouped users are manually registered by the users. Also, since these mail addresses must be grouped together somehow via some communication means, a cumbersome procedure is required in order for the users to be identified. Therefore, the users cannot be grouped together in a flexible manner. In addition, while the users are grouped, no access restriction can be made in the user information, so that no special care is taken to secure the user information.
On the other hand, as the Internet rapidly progresses, opportunities where one person may become acquainted with other persons via communications on the Internet are likewise increasing. As communications develop between respect to various persons, it is possible for those persons to communicate over the Internet using text characters, electronic mail equivalent to letter communication made on the Internet, and also chat services are available. As well, there are services in which users may assume the role of a graphic character and manipulate the graphic character in a virtual world and further communicate with others using gestures and expressions of emotions by manipulations of the graphic character, via the Internet.
However, even though a person can get acquaint with other persons using such services, if the person interrupts his or her communication with the service, there may be no further connection between the person and other persons. In other words, a person may interact with another person in one of the above services but is not able to continue with that interaction outside the service. That is, while such services may be used to establish and develop friendships between one person and another person or persons, there is currently no easy way to continue the friendship and contact between the persons outside the services and the confines of the network or Internet.
One object of the present invention is to provide a group contact system and a recording medium for recording thereon, a program used to progress communications established between users who meet with other users via a network, the program utilizing their profiles and communication information of respective users.
The present invention has been developed to solve the above described problems. Specifically, the present invention includes means for extending communications and exhanges of some individual information between respective users accessing a service on a network such as the Internet. Therefore, when a user is in communication with another user in, for instance, a chat on the Internet, it is possible with the present invention to extend those communications by creating a record or card based upon selected users who are participating in the chat. The card may have any of a variety of information selected by each user, including an image or photograph representing that user. The card can therefore include a snapshot that includes any one or all of the selected users and therefore even after a chat on the Internet is finished, each selected user can utilize the series of information in the group information to establish new communications outside of the communication service. The snapshot may further be in the form of a xe2x80x9ccommemorative picturexe2x80x9d of users who constitute a group. Furthermore, since the user information is distributed based upon the information each user wishes to divulge, human relationships can be made in a safe manner.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is a group contact system that includes a plurality of first information terminals and a second information terminal. The first information terminals mutually communicate in real time via a communication service over a network. The second information terminal manages information of users on the network. Each of the first information terminals includes means for selecting members of a group by a selecting user for designating at least one other user as a designated user to form the group of designated users with the selecting user. Corresponding group information includes identification of the designated users in the group. Each of the designated users and the selecting user communicate over the network using corresponding ones of the first communication terminals. The second information terminal includes a user information storing means for storing individual information of each user. The user information includes information identifying each user and a corresponding one of the first information terminals on the network utilized by the user to access the communication service. A means for compiling group information compiles user information relating to each designated user and forms group information in response to the selecting means in the first information terminal.
In the first user terminal, the selecting means provides a way to designate one or all users who are accessing the communication service to be part of a group who share information. This operation can occur without disrupting the communication service. In the second information terminal, the compiling group information means creates group information based on the designated user information stored in the user information storing means.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, each of the first information terminals further includes means for acquiring the contents of the compiled group information relating to each of the designated users in the group from the second information terminal.
Preferably, in a third aspect of the present invention, the group contact system, as set forth in the second aspect of the present invention, is such that the first information terminal further includes acquisition confirming means configured to receive notification of compiled group information to be transmitted from the second information terminal via the network. The acquisition confirming means is further formed to notify to the content acquiring means of incoming transmission of the compiled group information. The content acquiring means further is also configured to receive the group information based upon notification issued from the acquisition confirming means.
Preferably, in a fourth aspect of the present invention, the group contact system as set forth in the second aspect of the present invention is such that the first information terminal is connected to an external communication apparatus. The first information terminal further includes communication control means configured to access the external communication apparatus in response to selection by the corresponding user at the first information terminal of one designated user of the compiled group information. The communication control means is further configured to contact the one designated user via the external communication apparatus.
In a fifth aspect of the present invention, the group contact system as set forth in the second aspect of the present invention is such that the second information terminal further includes identification information forming means for forming the identification information in the group information.
In a sixth aspect of the present invention, the group contact system as set forth in the second aspect of the present invention is such that the first information terminal further includes a snapshot forming instruction means for processing instructions relating to formation of a snapshot. The snapshot contains images representing each of the designated users in the group. The snapshot forming instruction means also is configured for transmitting the instructions to the second information terminal. The second information terminal further includes a snapshot forming means configured for forming the snapshot in response to the instructions from the snapshot forming instruction means. The snapshot forming means is configured to compile image information about each designated user in the group to produce a snapshot. The snapshot forming means is further configured for transmitting the snapshot to each of the first information terminals designated in the group information. The snapshot forming means is further configured for compiling group information to accompany the snapshot.
Preferably, in a seventh aspect of the present invention, the first information terminal further includes auxiliary information selecting means for selecting auxiliary visual information to be added to the snapshot and also for adding the selected auxiliary visual information to the instructions sent to the snapshot forming means. The second information terminal further includes a storage apparatus for storing therein contents of the auxiliary visual information. There is information adding means for reading the contents of the selected auxiliary visual information from the storage apparatus and also for adding the read contents to the snapshot.
In an eighth aspect of the present invention, the group contact system as set forth in the second aspect of the present invention is such that the first information terminal further includes output means for visually outputting the group information stored by the content acquiring.
In accordance with a ninth aspect of the present invention, a group contact managing apparatus manages user information communicated between a plurality of information terminals. The information terminals communicate with each other in real time via a communication service over a network. The group contact managing apparatus includes a means for operating the communication service and user information storing means for storing user information relating to users at respective user terminals. Further, there is a group information forming means for receiving a group information forming request from any one of the information terminals. The group information forming request includes a group list identifying designated users who define a group. Each of the designated users accesses the communication service from the respective information terminals, the group information forming means is further configured for forming group information containing user information relating to each of the designated users. The group information forming means is further configured for transmitting compiled group information to the information terminals of the designated users.
In a tenth aspect of the present invention, a group contact apparatus is connected to an information server that manages information related to users and their respective information terminals. The information server provides a communication service to the information terminals over a network. The group contact apparatus includes a group information forming instruction means or selecting means that is configured for designating users in communication with the communication service. The group information forming instructions means is also configured for requesting the information server to form group information simultaneously with the operation of the communication service between a plurality of group contact apparatus. A content acquiring means acquires formed group information from the information server and saving the acquired group information in storage.
In accordance with an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is a computer readable recording medium for recording thereon a group contact management program employed in a second information terminal for managing user information communicated between a plurality of first information terminals which mutually and commonly communicate with one another via a communication service operated from the second information terminal. The group contact management program executes the following steps:
A) a user information storing step for storing information related to users at each of the first information terminals;
B) a group information forming step which compiles group information in response to a request from any one of the first information terminals, the request including a designation of users accessing the communication service who have been selected to be in a group, the group information including user information about each designated user; and
C) a group information transmitting step for transmitting the compiled group information to each first information terminal corresponding to a respective one of the designated users.
In accordance with a twelfth aspect of the present invention, a computer readable recording medium stores thereon a group contact program employed in a first information terminal. A plurality of the first information terminals are mutually and commonly in communication with one another via a communication service operated from a second information terminal. The group contact program executes the following steps:
A) a group information instruction forming step wherein a selecting user selects at least one user as a designated user from users communicating via the communication service, the designated users to subsequently define a group with the selecting user, the first communication terminal thereafter transmitting formed instructions to the second communication terminal for subsequent formation of group information based upon the formed instructions, the group information instruction forming step allowing continued communication between respective ones of the first information terminals; and
B) a content acquiring step for acquiring contents of the subsequently formed group information formed in response the group information instruction forming step.
In accordance with a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, there is a group communication method for effecting selection, designation and compilation of group information in conjunction with a communication service operated over a network communication system in which a plurality of users commonly communicate via the communication service. The method includes the steps of:
A) operating a communication service;
B) collecting user information from a plurality of users accessing the communication service and storing the information in a common storage space;
C) selecting at least one user from users accessing the communication service, the selected users defining a group of users;
D) requesting group information be compiled from the user information corresponding to the selected users in the group; and
E) compiling group information corresponding to the selected users in the group in response to the request of step (D).
Preferably, the method further includes the step of:
F) forming a snapshot that includes image information corresponding to each selected user, the formed snapshot combined with the compiled group information; and
G) transmitting the compiled group information and snapshot to each of the selected users.
Preferably, the step (D) further includes designation of a background for insertion into the snapshot formed in step (F).